Men's Soccer

Cornellians Tabbed to Guide Galaxy

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Courtesy of Cornell Athletic Communications

LOS ANGELES -- Bruce Arena (Cornell '73) has been named as the new head coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer, the club announced on Monday. Joining Arena on the sidelines for the Galaxy will be fellow Cornell alumnus Dave Sarachan '76, who also served as coach of the Cornell men's soccer program from 1989-1997. Arena makes his coaching debut for the Galaxy when LA plays host to Chicago on Thursday.

Arena and Sarachan take over MLS' flagship program, led by English midfielder David Beckham and American forward Landon Donovan. The Galaxy are currently tied for fourth place with Kansas City in MLS' Western Conference with 24 points. The top four teams in each conference qualify for the MLS Playoffs.

Arena has been out of coaching since last November when he resigned as head coach of the New York Red Bulls, which he had directed since the middle of the 2006 season. Previously, Arena had served as manager of the United States National Team for eight seasons, guiding the U.S. on its historic run to the quarterfinals of the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan/South Korea. Before his time with the national squad, Arena was the coach of D.C. United of Major League Soccer, leading that team to back-to-back MLS titles in 1996 and 1997. Arena coached the United for three seasons before being named to direct the U.S. National Team.

The move to the Galaxy for Arena reunites him with one of his most closely trusted assistants in Sarachan, who has coached alongside his fellow Cornell alumnus in three coaching stops. Sarachan, who first worked with Arena as an assistant coach for Arena at Virginia from 1984-88, also has head coaching experience in Major League Soccer after directing the Chicago Fire from 2002 through 2007.

Sarachan left Virginia to become the head coach for the Big Red in 1989, staying for 10 years and compiling a 64-63-16 mark and leading Cornell to NCAA tournament berths in 1995 and 1996. Following the 2007 season, he left Cornell to rejoin Arena on the sidelines with the D.C. United, then again teamed with Arena on the staff of the U.S. National Team from 1999 through the 2002 FIFA World Cup, after which he was named to lead the Chicago Fire. Most recently, Sarachan has served with U.S. Soccer in the youth player development field.